February 3, 2025: Punjab Kings’ new addition to the squad, Kuldeep Sen, who joined the franchise in the IPL 2025 auction, is excited by the challenge and wants to make the season memorable for himself and the team. 

Sen, a cricket enthusiast since childhood, started playing the sport at the young age of 15. His commitment and grit helped him make his ODI debut for India in 2022. However, during the initial training days, no one in his family except his mother knew he played cricket since his father never liked the sport. 

“No one in my family knew much about cricket. Since I come from a very middle-class family, they did not know much about playing cricket, where one should train, etc. Everybody liked watching cricket, but my father didn’t like it at all. He started watching cricket only after I started playing; otherwise, he wouldn’t be a fan. When I started playing cricket, no one in my family knew about it except my mother,” revealed the right-arm fast bowler. 

Financial constraints only added to Kuldeep’s struggles in the early years; his selection in the Madhya Pradesh team for domestic cricket in 2019 not only garnered his father’s support but also helped him with finances. Since then, he has also made his international debut for India in 2022 against Bangladesh.

Recalling his India call-up moment, Sen said, “I was in NCA when my call for India came. I didn’t know that I was going to be selected. My friend at Rajasthan Royals called me and told me I was selected. I was sleeping at that time and was unaware of my call-up. I couldn’t sleep the night before my match against Bangladesh was scheduled…I was also very excited to play the match. Playing for the country is still the best thing that has happened to me, and I will never forget it.”

Sen is now all set to represent PBKS in IPL this year and revealed that it is even more special since back in 2018, his first-ever IPL trial was for the Kings.

“I was training in Bangalore and was sitting with my friends. I had this gut feeling, even before the auction started, that I would be acquired by Punjab Kings. I told my friends about this as well. I gave my first IPL trial for Punjab Kings only in 2018. So, it was an inside feeling that this year, I would be selected by Punjab. I was excited that I am going to a great team and will have a new experience with the new team,” Kuldeep said while recalling his IPL auction moment. 

Kuldeep will also be reuniting with his Rajasthan Royals teammate Yuzvendra Chahal. He revealed how fun-loving the latter is and will be looking forward to learning from him. 

“I have been with Yuzi bhai for three years. He is a fun and humorous person and makes everybody laugh on the ground and in the hotel. He is a very pure-hearted person. You can talk to him any time, and you get to learn a lot of things. But whenever one meets him, he will try to irritate you for fun,” said Kuldeep.

The 38th edition of the National Games is set to showcase thrilling basketball action in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, as teams from across the country prepare to battle it out on the courts. This year’s tournament promises to deliver intense action, showcasing the finest basketball talent from both the men’s and women’s divisions. 

The Men’s teams have been split into two groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals. Group A consists of a team from the Services and the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Uttarakhand, while Group B consists of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan. 

As for the Women’s draw, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh have been placed in Group A, while Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka will make up for Group B. 

As per the tournament format, each group will follow a round-robin structure. The top two teams from each group will progress to the semifinals, with the ultimate showdown on February 3rd, 2025. 

It will also be to see if if Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi, who emerged as the top three teams in the men’s tournament, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu who dominated the podium in the women’s competition, can repeat glory or will we see new challengers rise to the occasion.

As for the rules, the basketball 5×5 competition will be governed by a set of standard regulations designed to ensure fair play and competitive balance. Each game will be played over four quarters, each lasting 10 minutes, with the clock stopping during timeouts, fouls, and breaks. 

With the final match scheduled for February 1st, the anticipation is building for what promises to be a thrilling competition.

The league is scheduled to take place from February 5-8, at the Nesco Center,  Mumbai

Mumbai. The World Padel League today announced Sohail Khan Entertainment, one of India’s leading entertainment, events and film production & distribution houses as the owner of Team Panthers, ahead of its highly anticipated India debut. Scheduled to take place from February 5-8 at the Nesco Center, Mumbai, the World Padel League will bring together top global padel players together for the first time in India.

Sohail Khan Entertainment boasts of 14 movies under its banner and is known for delivering hits such as ‘Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya’, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?’, ‘Jai Ho’, ‘Freaky Ali’, ‘Partner’ amongst others. The company is also widely known for organising over 1000+ large-scale on-ground events like ‘Filmfare’ and ‘Zee Cine Awards’ in the past. Owners of the ‘Da-Bangg Tour’ with more than 50 shows so far, they are also the part-owners of the Celebrity Cricket League, as also the owners of Team Mumbai Heroes. As part of the World Padel League, the company has further expanded its footprint into the world of sports as they become a part of the rapidly growing affinity for padel in India.

Meteora Developers, Dubai World Padel League, owned by ID Info Business Serviced Ltd. and powered by Maisour, promises to bring world-class padel action to India, at par with global standards. Featuring 32 elite players across 4 teams, the league is poised to raise the bar and set new benchmarks for the sport in India, making WPL ‘The Greatest Show on Court!’.

Talking about WPL, Sohail Khan said, “The growth of padel in India is quite impressive, with several of our industry peers also playing the sport regularly. It’s a sport that fosters a sense of community, and with the World Padel League making its debut in India, it will undoubtedly elevate the sport to a whole new level. Team Panthers has got some exciting talent from across the globe and we are looking forward to a successful edition ahead!”

Extending a welcome to Sohail Khan Entertainment, Hemali Sharma, Director, World Padel League expressed, “It’s a pleasure to have Sohail and team as part of World Padel League’s India debut. His association with the league is a testament to the growing popularity of padel, and we look forward to elevating the sport to new heights in India. We are excited about the opportunities this collaboration presents and can’t wait to bring power-packed courtside action starting February 5!”

World Padel League will follow a single round-robin format, with each team playing against every other team, during the three league stage days. The top two teams will advance to the finals, to be held on February 8.

Tickets for the highly-anticipated World Padel League are now live on District by Zomato.